Alpenrose Six Day Four

Some changes today at the Alpenrose Six. Riding relief for Josh Weir (who left for San Jose) was veteran Portland racer Mark Ginsberg. Ginsberg, who showed up to do the Points Race as part of the non-sixday events on tonight’s card, didn’t know he was riding the Six until moments before racing started. If I heard Splinter (Alpenrose’s announcer) correctly the team formerly Hartley/Weir for tonight Hartley/Ginsberg lost 10 laps in the overall for changing horses mid-race but were allowed to start on even laps for the evening. Though it doesn’t really matter, as Hartley will miss the last day to make it to Boise (good luck Chad!)
Win n’ Out
After the preliminary five laps Chad Hartley leapt out of the field with Steven Beardsley in pursuit. It looked as though Beardsley had left too big a gap to close. Never one to be counted out, especially since he appears to be getting faster as the Sixday goes on, Beardsley not only closed a gap the size of the Columbia but had the speed to overtake Hartley at the line. Fortunately for Hartley the speed of that lap was so blazingly fast that the rest of the field was nearly half a lap back and he was able to coast in for second place. While Hartley was taking second Jimmy Lingwood, who’s bane seems to be races with the word “out” in the name, made one of those mental errors that start to show up around day four. Lingwood didn’t realize Hartley was still off the front and thought he had taken second and consequently pulled up track and off the back of the field. This made it easier for Tony Kic to take third coming over the top of Mark Ginsberg. Mark Blackwelder sat on the previous sprint and with a sizable gap picked up fourth and Ginsberg recovered sufficiently to take fifth. Jerome Dumortier won the last sprint for sixth.

30 Lap Points Race


After the first points sprint Blackwelder just kept going. Recognizing this as a serious move both Lingwood and Beardsley took off in pursuit. Feeling left out of the party Hartley, who hasn’t missed a single move all week, quickly joined the three riders to form a quartet--a quartet that wasted little time lapping the field. Ordinarily this would be a joyous occasion, to gain a lap, but since Beardsley/Lingwood both lapped the field (gaining two laps) and only one rider from Kic/Blackwelder (Blackwelder) and Hartley/Ginsberg (Hartley) lapped the field (gaining only one lap) it was essentially the same as going down a lap for the day and for the overall. Jerome Dumortier managed to sneak a mid-race sprint away from the race favorites after they rejoined the field. Tony Kic took the final points sprint. (I was too busy paying attention to the overall implications of the race that I didn’t really notice who had what points and who actually won—oops.)
As previously mentioned there were point races today for racers not involved in the Sixday. As the 1/2/3 field was pulling up to the rail it was noted that Chad “Cha-ching” Hartley was stirring in the infield, changing his jersey, meandering toward his bike and yes, lining up at the rail. Why pass up an opportunity to pick up more of the evening’s prize list? It’s really too bad Hartley has to leave the Sixday early. He never fails to both provide some exciting racing and provide Bigman Shoes with something to write about. Hartley won the points race by the way.

30 Minute Madison
Blackwelder put in a big attack from the gun. Someone in the field was heard to exclaim, “Oh shit!” along the front straight apparently nonplussed by the early move. Beardsley was quick to bridge with Hartley not far behind and thus a familiar trio of teams formed at the front of the race—Beardsley/Lingwood, Kic/Blackwelder and Hartley/Ginsberg. A lot of attacking, counter-attacking and gap closing ensued but for the first time in the Sixday the lead three teams finished on even laps. Coming into the final sprint Beardsley/Lingwood had a slim two point lead over Kic/Blackwelder. Kic managed to win the final sprint to give the Gentle Lovers victory in the Madison with Beardsley/Lingwood and Hartley/Ginsberg coming in second and third respectively.
It was good to see Ginsberg make a guest appearance at the Sixday though it’s too bad he didn’t show up from day one. After the way he rode today it looked like he would have been a contender.

I forgot to get a cheat sheet from Candi Murray but the overall standings might look something like this:

1. Beardsley/Lingwood
2. Kic/Blackwelder -3 laps
(It gets really confusing here depending on if Hartley/Ginsberg were penalized for the rider switch and how many laps Drake/Boxberger lost)
3. I’ll say Hartley/Ginsberg are tied with Drake/Boxberger @-15 laps?
4. I believe Dumortier/Lacey still lead…
5. Simmons/Hoefer
(also everyone has some points)

(C-Murder is going to fix my more glaring grammatical errors, add some commentary, make observations and [hopefully] add some photos. So check back.)